Well, other than his wife, that is.
So, on any other day Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez resigning would be THE topic in the blogosphere. And — to be fair — its had its share of ink (pixels) devoted to it yesterday.
But it’s easily been wiped off the map of awareness by the Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) bathroom stall sex scandal. It’s pretty much all that anybody in the Blogosphere is talking about today.
Between Gonzalez retiring and Craig trolling for some man sex in a public restroom, well — the Left-o-sphere is besides themselves in joy. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of their heads have exploded from the daily double.
My reaction? A big feh.
I don’t care what other adults do with their sex lives. Nor whom they do it with or to — as long as their partner(s) is/are of legal age and consents to the act(s). So the man likes bathroom sex with other men? So what. I’m betting that a fair share of those on the progressive left who are reveling in this news probably do too.
I know, I know. The RIGHT (every last single one of us — it’s THE party requirement) are against deviant sex acts and are for “family values”. And to ever participate in anything the left considers outside of those boundaries render us all ABSOLUTE HYPOCRITES.
Whatever.
_________
UPDATE:
Some sane perspective from the Left:
Sure, he’s a hypocrite, sure he’s probably gay or bi or whatever, and sure, I despise his politics. The problem is, I’m torn between the schadenfreude of watching another one of the Family Values crowd being shown up, and feeling really bad for the guy, because he didn’t do anything.
Look at the police report. Did he directly ask a cop for sex? No. Did he expose himself lewdly (as opposed to exposing himself to use the facilities)? No. Did he do anything that was unambiguously sexual? No.
All he did was tap his foot, reach down (possibly to pick up a piece of TP), wiggle his fingers, and put his bag in front of him when he sat down. Oh, and he waited in front of an occupied stall. Even if he did everything the cop said he did, where was the lewd conduct? No actual sex happened. No actual sex was discussed. And if it wasn’t for the sheer embarrassment of the situation, you’d be writing about the overzealous cop who arrested a sitting US Senator for no apparent reason.
If Craig was looking for sex, I hope that he can look into his heart and realize that it’s 2007, and gay people are allowed to be out, and even get involved in meaningful relationships that don’t begin and end in a squalid men’s room. I’d hope that he’d recognize that there are even gay Republicans out there (look at former Rep. Kolbe, for one), and that a lot of the stigma and fear that still exists about homosexuality in this society has to do with the behavior of people who are in the closet.
But that, to me, is another issue entirely. The issue here is, why is the Minneapolis Airport PD arresting people for such flimsy reasons? Why do judges and prosecutors still accept these cases? Why, in 2007, 43 years after LBJ’s chief of staff, Walter Jenkins, got busted in the men’s room YMCA in DC, have we apparently moved no further in our analysis of these situations?
Why? Because they get complaints from people who don’t want themselves or their kids to be solicited for sex when they are trying to take a leak. Generally, the solitications are much more overt and lewd. All these gestures may be benign to you, but to others they have meanings. Do you really want to go into a bathroom and hear two guys going at in in the stall next to yours? Or, what is more often the case, doing in right out in the open? It’s not like they exchange numbers and go somewhere private. Guys who do this have sexual compulsions and will troll public bathrooms on a regular basis.
Throw his ass out of office and the sooner the better.
KMA-
No one was ‘going at it’. If making unwanted sexual advances is a crime virtually every man in the country would be in jail. There is no evidence that the cop said anything to dissuade Craig and making eye contact with him repeatedly probably encouraged him.
Dianne-
Can you explain to me why Craig’s non-sex merits removal while Senator Vitter’s visits to a prostitute (an indisputably illegal act) don’t.
From here the difference looks like:
1. Homophobia
or
2. Crass political calculation (since Craig would be replaced by a GOP governor while Vitter would have been replaced by a Democrat)
If there’s another explanation in the different reactions from you, Hugh Hewitt, and the Senate Republicans I would be interested.
I can’t believe all the hand wringing by people. What the heck has happened to the common sense in this country. Has PC completely rotted away any common sense we might have had. No one goes into a bathroom and acts the way he did without funny business being the main point. when you go to the bathrooms do you do these things or do your business and get out without even making eye contact. please people shake off the haze of Political Correctness and look at things the way they really are. vast majority of Americans find the gay lifestyle offensive and would like to see the coddling ended. If most people spoke up we would make a difference, but we don’t want to be called haters or mean. that’s the problem. most honest hard working moral people do nothing..so the insane are now running the asylum. And of course throw this guy out of office, that should a no brainer with anyone who has not been beat down by political correctness
KMA-No one was ‘going at it’. If making unwanted sexual advances is a crime virtually every man in the country would be in jail. There is no evidence that the cop said anything to dissuade Craig and making eye contact with him repeatedly probably encouraged him.
Guys “going at it” in restrooms is why the police make these arrests. It’s obvious Craig went there for sex. However, because there was no solicitation or lewd behavior, Craig was arrested for what the officer did observe him doing — peeping. It’s not the police’s job to discourage a crime in commission but to make an arrest. No one needs some guy eyeballing you in a stall. You may be into that, Preston, but most people are not.
KMA-
I agree that people shouldn’t be peeking into bathroom stalls. The sad irony for Senator Craig is that he is more interested in proving he is not gay than proving that he did not break any laws. Therefore we’ll never know if the officer was engaged in any behavior that could have led the senator to believe that he was interested in sex.
Marc-
vast majority of Americans find the gay lifestyle offensive and would like to see the coddling ended.
First of all your facts are wrong.
“Do you feel that homosexuality should be considered an acceptable alternative lifestyle or not?”
Date Acceptable Not acceptable No opinion
2003-MAY 54 43 3
Should homosexual activity should be criminalized:
Date Legal Not legal No opinion
2003-MAY 60 35 5
If you look at the trends it’s clear that you’re on the short end of the stick, as it were.
Second, are you familiar with studies that correlate homophobia to latent homosexual desires? Sadly, we’ve apparently witnessed the phenomenon with Senator Craig. Maybe it’s something you might think about.
Preston, classic liberal come back. Make fun of your opponent. Love it. Hey we all have opinions and mine is as valid as yours my friend.
First of all I don’t believe the majority of Americans condone and agree with the gay lifestyle. Ask people, everyday people, have they ever been polled. No one I know ever has. Most polls are taken in big cities which always tend to be liberal. But this country has a vast middle, and I can assure you they don’t agree with this. So I don’t know where you get your ironclad information from on how most of Americans think, but this country has historically been conservative since it’s beginning…yes of course things have changed over the years, we have become a much more corrupt and hedonistic society. so of course that erodes our foundation and more and more people drift away from what made us great: which is family, hard work, self sufficiency, not relying on the government from cradle to grave. Yes we have problems today that we did not 100 years ago. but I do not believe the notion that the majority of people believe the gay lifestyle is a good thing.
Polls can be skewed anyway you want them to read. and with the complete liberal state of the press and news outlets of course they will manipulate the results to fit their agenda. come on, you know this goes on. we all want the same thing to be happy, but some things are just wrong. sorry to be so black and white. but that’s how I see it. I know in todays PC society that no “grey area” is a horrible thing to say. because we all now worship at the alter of diversity and the concept that something can still wrong is just as outdated and and an old model T. but in life you learn as you go, that somethings are black and white, no matter how you want to pretty them up. some things in this old world are wrong and always will be…and on your last point about latent homosexual desire, here again I laughed when I read that. that is good stuff right out the how to get a conservative mad handbook…hey trust me that is not true in my case.
I wish i could throw you a bone, no pun intended, and say hey you know I think you are right, heck I never thought of that…but that theory is old hat and pure baloney too. no, when people rail against their society cracking under the weight of degenerates, or people that need to be in the nut house, its because they are mad that they see the the place they grew up in going down the drain..not because of some old Freudian psychological rubbish.
I am married to a great girl and would not want it any other way my friend. nice try though.
We may not agree, but at least we can have spirited debates. right on
Don’t say “we.” That you are this ignorant or partisan is your problem, not “our” problem.
Don’t say “we.†That you are this ignorant or partisan is your problem, not “our†problem.
Partisan? Because I’m giving a Republican Senator the benefit of the doubt? You’re aware that Craig wasn’t not charged with being a ‘peeping Tom’- just ‘disturbing the peace’ or something. Your logic is rock solid.
Marc-
Just because ‘everyone you know’ is conservative, it would be a logical error to conclude that this is a ‘conservative country’: there is a sociological concept called homophily (no, it doesn’t have to do with homos) that basically says ‘birds of a feather flock together’.
Anyway, I’m not making fun of you (unlike KMA- I don’t consider it an ‘insult’ to suggest someone might be gay) but that study is the first thing that comes to mind when I hear of the likes of Ted Haggart or Mark Foley or Larry Craig or anonymous bloggers telling us how bad homosexuals are.
I hear what you are saying Preston, and I have many many liberal friends believe me..they always give me grief for being conservative. I love liberals, a blast to hang around with..but can’t stand their political points of view. I am not offended at your study reference at all. If we believe the logic that you secretly are what you rail against, then are mothers of against drunk drivers really down deep alcoholics? are people against the death penalty, secretly killers??? No I don’t believe in the concept that if you speak up against the gay agenda that you are secretly gay…that is ridiculous, and funny.
I believe that is a concept started to shut people up and keep them quiet…so no one makes accusations at them. yes I know some people are are high and mighty and have shown themselves to be two faced..It happens all the time… rush limbaugh anyone. but not true for me. I genuinely don’t agree with this agenda.
I don’t think it is healthy for a people, a society, to embrace what is essential deviant behavior. Heck if we go down this road it’s a free for all. woo hoo.. lets party and not care what we do…sounds fun. but ultimately this will rot a country to it’s core…look at all the past civilizations that crumbled under the weight of their own sloth and deviancy…Rome anyone.? No, sorry I disagree on principles, not some outdated psychological concept.
oh forget. one more thing. I am not basing my belief on the conservative nature of this country on people I know..I know all types. I am basing it on the very founding of this country was conservative in nature. It was only in the 60’s that this started to change.
The hippy peace and love movement was all about breaking the old traditions and “loosening” all those stiff people up man. of course you can look around at the aftermath of the 60’s. we are still trying to clean the mess that left behind. like I said I like a lot of things that come out of a liberal mindset, such as great music, art, novels….hey that all good. but you have to grow up up one day and realize the conservatives actually have it right. Not the republicans, but true conservatives…they do beleive in right and wrong, they do beleive your actions have consequences, and not everything is OK..I completely agree with the saying: if you are not liberal when young you have no heart, and if you are not conservative when old you have no brain..and preston this country does have a vast middle where americans still believe in morals, these people have not been brainwashed by PC thinking yet as the major cities have been.
The thought police have not taken these people’s minds over..like I said before polls can be manipulated to whatever outcome the poll taker wants..these polls showing support for these wild eyed liberal ideas are not being taken across the nation, they are taken in mostly big cities…..where most people have been dumbed down to believe what the liberal media tells them is true. my friend this country is still overwhelmingly conservative…look at last months outcry over the senate bill to legalize millions of aliens….the people spoke up loudly and said no way…..think about that. these were the people the pollsters never talk to…there are a lot more of them than you think. A silent majority, that is about to wake up.
Fair enough, Marc. For a guy who seems to hold a basketful of opinions I oppose, you seem like a nice enough guy, but can I suggest that people aren’t ‘manipulated’ into thinking gay people are not destroying the country. They simply meet them in school and at work and see that they have the same concerns as the rest of us.
For the record, I have a strong belief in ‘morals’- starting with looking out for the little guy. Honestly, right wing moralizing about appropriate sexual behavior seems to be the modern version of Jesus’s story about the mote and the beam.
(I finally answered your post on immigration on page 2, if you’ve been holding your breath all this time…)
Craig’s sex life doesn’t interest me. It didn’t happen “on the job” like Bill Clinton so I have an opinion as to losing one’s job. If Bill Clinton didn’t lose his job, then why should Craig? The difference is Craig was set up…Bill Clinton set himself up. Thanks to Bill, morals have gotten a lot worse!
Wow- I can’t believe it took so long to blame Senator Craig’s cruising on Bill Clinton’s penis! (A penis with retroactive powers apparently considering that allegations of homosexual behavior go back to 1982 for Senator Craig)
Has nothing to do with Bill Clinton’s penis. Your adult intelligence with words is low. You should read the post again, it’s a comparison, not blame. Allegations are not facts and a set-up produces the intentions of the accuser. So what if the homosexual behavior goes back to 1982? You think our government is without homosexuals? Why doesn’t Barney Frank get the boot? Suppose it’s because he’s a Democrat? A Democrat with protection in the restroom? Bill Clinton should have stepped down immediately. There was no disgraceful proof with Craig, only allegations.
Well barney frank admits and is open about being gay, that’s why he does not get the boot. he is not trying to fool anyone. its only because of the crazy PC world we live in that barney frank is sitting in congress. of course that is a complete other topic don’t get me started…as to Craig, come on do you really think he was set up? that bathroom had complaints for years. the undercover agent was just doing his job. he did not know it was a senator, he thought it was just another perv. which it was of course. it just happened to be a perv senator. he knew from the moment the cop laid his badge on the floor that he was busted. he was the first one to say I did not solicit anything…how did he know he was busted for soliciting gay sex????? um, must be because he was. look, if it walks like duck its a duck. the guy is guilty as all get out. not sure rickl why you are defending him. yeah its a shame because he actually voted the right way on most things I agree with. bummer it had to be a guy that voted for most of the things I agree with. but hey, that guy can’t stay. it would too much of a stain on the senate. like they need another scandal. I say kick the perv bum out on his bum. and I thought I read somewhere he resigned today. not watched any news this weekend…but if true, good.!
I am definitely not defending Senator Craig. I do believe he should step down (which he did). There is no room in my opinion for anyone in government positions that behave in this manner, which leads me to my point: How could a man with the largest stain and scandal of all have kept his job without stepping down? Bill Clinton was a disgrace for our country and it was way beyond an allegation. Senator Craig was a “could have happened” while Bill Clinton was a “did happen.” They both denied their involvement or might I say “lied.” You are right, if it walks like a duck, it is a duck and Bill Clinton “waddled” for years! I
just think that all ducks should be treated equal.